Vegan Lentil Fritters (Phulauri)

In this recipe, I’ll show you how to make these delicious Lentil Fritters. These lentil fritters are one of my favorite snacks. I don’t fry very often but when I do it is 9/10 times to make this snack. The official name of this vegan snack is Phulauri. It is a Surinamese snack that you’ll absolutely fall in love with once you’ve tried it 🥰.

How to make the batter for the Phulauri?

First, it is very important to soak the lentils. Phulauri is made from yellow split peas which can be very firm and usually take a long time to cook. So to soften the lentils you’ll have to soak them in water for at least 2 hours. For convenience, I prefer to soak them overnight. When the lentils have soaked long enough they’ll increase in size, become brighter and softer. Also, don’t forget to wash the lentils after soaking.

After you’ve soaked the lentils it’s time to prepare the spices. I always use roasted cumin garlic, onion, and salt and pepper to give the Phulauri some extra flavor. If you want you can also add a more spicy pepper to the mixture. Traditionally a madame Jeanette pepper is used. But you can skip the pepper or use a different one if you like your snacks to be spicy and can’t find a Madame Jeanette.

To roast the cumin I just put dried cumin seeds in a pan and roast them on low heat for a couple of minutes. Don’t put the heat too high. The seeds can easily burn if you roast them on high heat. The cumin seeds are done when they’ve become a little darker. Grind the cumin in a mortar and they are ready to use!

Next combine 1 tbsp of the roasted cumin, 2 diced garlic cloves, one diced onion, the lentils, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Use a blender or food processor to make the batter for the fritters. The goal is to be able to make a small ball from the batter. So if you’re not able to get the lentils as small as I did it isn’t a big problem. As long as the batter is sticky and you can make a small ball.

To get the most crispy texture after frying it is very important not to make a perfect round ball. The rounder the shape the less crispy. Just grab a little bit of the batter (approximately 1 tsp) and quickly shape it and drop it in the oil.

How to fry the Phulauri?

To fry the perfect Phulauri first make sure you add enough oil for the balls to float. Turn to heat to high and wait until the oil is warm. I always like to fry one ball first to test the temperature of the oil. You don’t want the Phulauri to fry too fast because you’ll end up with a crispy outside but a raw inside. Also frying one Phulauri first will give you the opportunity to check if you’ve added enough salt!

Take the brown balls out of the oil and put them on some kitchen paper to soak up the excess oil.

The Phulauri tastes really good with some ketchup or spicy ketchup.

Vegan Lentil Fritters (Phulauri)

kimchicooking In this recipe, I’ll show you how to make these delicious Lentil Fritters. These lentil fritters are one of my favorite snacks. I don’t fry very often but when I… Snacks Vegan Lentil Fritters (Phulauri) European Print This

Serves: Approximately 50 balls

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

350g Soaked Yellow Split Peas
1 Diced Onion
2 Diced Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp Ground Roasted Cumin
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Oil for frying
Kitchen Paper
Ketchup or Hot Ketchup for dipping

Instructions

1. Soak the lentils in plenty of water for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Roast 1tbsp of cumin seeds in a pan on low heat until they become brown. Be careful to not turn the heat too high. The seeds burn easily.
3. Wash and drain the soaked lentils.
4. Grind the roasted cumin seeds in a mortal.
5. Next combine 1 tbsp roasted cumin, 2 diced garlic cloves, one diced onion, the lentils, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.
6. Use a blender or food processor to make the batter for the fritters. The goal is to be able to make a small ball from the batter. So if you’re not able to get the lentils as small as I did it isn’t a big problem. As long as the batter is sticky and you can make a small ball.
7. Add enough oil to a pan to cover the balls. Turn to heat to high and wait until the oil is warm.
8. Fry the Phulauri until they are brown. You don’t want the Phulauri to fry too fast because you’ll end up with a crispy outside but a raw inside.
9. Take the brown balls out of the oil and put them on some kitchen paper to soak up the excess oil.
10. The Phulauri tastes really good with some ketchup or spicy ketchup.

Enjoy!